Memristor effect on bundles of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes tested by scanning tunnel microscopy

• Published in: Technical physics Vol. 58; no. 12; pp. 1831 - 1836
• Main Authors: Ageev, O. A., Blinov, Yu. F., Il’in, O. I., Kolomiitsev, A. S., Konoplev, B. G., Rubashkina, M. V., Smirnov, V. A., Fedotov, A. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-12-2013; Springer
• Subjects: Classical and Continuum Physics; Electric properties; Microscope and microscopy; Nanotubes; Physical Electronics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Tunnels; Scan Tunnel Microscopy Image; High Resistance State; Attractive Force; Scan Tunnel Microscopy; External Electric Field
• ISSN: 1063-7842; 1090-6525
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063784213120025

We report on the results of experimental study of an array of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA CNTs) by scanning tunnel microscopy (STM). It is shown that upon the application of an external electric field to the STM probe/VA CNT system, individual VA CNTs are combined into bundles whose diameter depends on the radius of the tip of the STM probe. The memristor effect in VA CNTs is detected. For the VA CNT array under investigation, the resistivity ratio in the low- and high-resistance states at a voltage of 180 mV is 28. The results can be used in the development of structures and technological processes for designing nanoelectronics devices based on VA CNT arrays, including elements of ultrahigh-access memory cells for vacuum microelectronics devices.